Small Towns & Superheroes
by theatre-geek17
Summary: Jessica Kent just wants to survive her senior year without any drama and move into the real world. But that's easier said than done. Especially when your little brother's a superhero in the making. Not to mention the new billionaire who just came to town. BEING REWRITTEN.
1. Chapter 1

UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 5th, 2014: To anyone who still has this story in their favorites or their alerts, one thank you for reading in the first place. And two, after a bit of a break from writing and this story in particular, I've pulled it off the shelf and started working on it once more. I'm in the process of rewriting and hopefully putting out a better (more complete) product this time around. So if you keep an eye out you may be seeing Jessica and everyone around again very soon.

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><p>"Come on, Clark. Hurry up in there!" Jessica Kent was beating her fist against the bathroom door, trying to get her brother out. It was another Monday in the Kent household and she was continuing with her battle to look good for her senior year. But that wouldn't happen if Clark didn't get out of the bathroom soon. Her bare foot tapped against the hard wood floors as she continued knocking on the door. She had no idea what exactly took that boy so long in the bathroom but somehow he always managed to get in there and take his good sweet time just when she needed it. Finally, the door opened and her "little" brother stepped out with a slightly amused smile. She rolled her eyes as she passed him, mumbling, "For someone who can run five miles in less than five minutes, you are so slow."<p>

Jessica all but slammed the door behind her, frustrated. She had about forty-five minutes to try and tame her long unruly red curls, which, on a good day, took maybe half an hour. Not to mention getting dressed and managing some kind of breakfast. For a few minutes she simply stared at her reflection with slight apathy. Despite her rather vibrant hair color, everything about her look screamed ordinary. Her eyes were the same blue color of her father's and her curls stopped in the middle of her back. She was average height, around 5' 5", and had, as her mother described, an hourglass figure. Her complexion leaned towards the pale side and there were a few light freckles that splashed across her cheeks and nose. She was a far cry from stunning, at least in her mind, and really wanted to change that before she started college next fall. Sighing heavily, she grabbed the flat iron she'd purchased over the summer in a vain attempt to change her hairstyle and went to work. After almost fifteen minutes of struggling, she gave up and let her hair be. She'd lost that battle so she moved onto the other necessary tasks.

Walking out of the bathroom and down the hall, she stepped into her small bedroom. Most of the space was taken up with her twin bed and the keyboard she'd gotten a few years earlier for her birthday. Her walls were covered with posters for all the Broadway shows she listened to constantly and wished more than anything she could see for herself. There were stacks of books littering her floor as well as CD cases, magazines, and clothes that probably should be taken down to the laundry room. She went to her closet, grabbing a pair of clean dark jeans and a bright blue camisole. She tossed a few books into her backpack and slipped on her old cowboy boots before tossing on a short sleeve plaid shirt and heading down the stairs two at a time. When she came into the kitchen, she found her mom putting breakfast onto plates and her brother drinking from the milk bottle, again. "Seriously, dude? That's nasty."

"It tastes better out of the bottle," he argued as she took it out of his hands and wiped the rim off with a napkin.

"It's disgusting," Jessica retorted, pouring herself a glass.

"I don't know where you learned your manners," Martha Kent commented as she handed her eldest daughter a plate of eggs and gave her son a look of slight disapproval.

"On a farm," Clark said with a smile.

Jessica rolled her eyes as Jonathan Kent came into the kitchen, taking off his jacket. He quickly kissed both his wife and daughter on the cheek before grabbing the milk bottle and drinking straight from it, just like his son. Clark choked back a laugh while she just shook her head. He looked between his children, slightly confused. "What?"

"Well, Mom, at least now we know where Clark picked up his habits," Jessica commented sharing a knowing look with her mother. Both women laughed lightly at the men's expense. A moment later, they heard a car pull up the gravel drive and a horn honk. That was Jessica's signal that her best friend, Hannah Lewis, was there to pick her up. She quickly shoveled in some food before grabbing her backpack and giving her mom a quick hug. "See you at school, Clark. Bye Mom. Bye Dad."

Bounding down the front steps, she made her way over to her friend's beat up old Saab, sliding into the passenger seat. The sound of Blink-182 greeted her as she closed the car door. Hannah smiled at her as she turned the car around and peeled down the drive. Her tires spun a bit and gravel flew in the air but both girls laughed as they drove away. Jessica and Hannah had been best friends since the second grade when Hannah stopped Brett Anderson from dumping his chocolate milk on her.

"Good morning, sunshine," Hannah quipped as she flashed a smile at her friend. "How are things in the Kent household on this fine day?"

"Same as always," Jessica answered, fiddling with the radio stations before settling on a station playing Fiona Apple. "Clark was about to ask about trying out for the football team again when I came out."

"So you just left him on his own?" Her friend couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"He can handle himself just fine. Besides, it's not like anything I said would've helped. You know how the Kent men are. Stubborn as hell."

"You can say that again."

"They're stubborn as hell." Hannah let out a small laugh at that, peeling down the long country road.

SMALLVILLE

By the time lunch rolled around, Jessica found herself firmly set in the boredom that came along with attending Smallville High. She'd sat at her usual spot in a corner of the crowded cafeteria with a tray of mystery meat and gross green beans that she'd push around and pretend to eat but end up tossing in the trash before fifth period. Hannah had vanished to chat up her latest conquest, some junior boy on the baseball team. Jessica couldn't remember his name. She'd finished skimming through the copy of Cosmo she'd gotten at the convenience store last week when she noticed a certain dark haired boy, sulking by himself across the room. From the looks of his expression, the talk hadn't gone so well with their father after she left. Throwing her food away early, she made her way over to her little brother's table and dropped down into the chair next to him. "Hey Debbie Downer. You know glaring at your food like that isn't gonna make it any more edible."

Clark looked up at her, not noticing her till she said anything. He just rolled his eyes in response to her comment. Pushing his tray away, he leaned back in his chair, the sullen expression still on his face. "Why can't Dad just let me do this? He played football all four years in high school. Why can't I?"

Jessica gave her brother a sympathetic look as she leaned forward and quietly replied, "He's just worried something'll go wrong and someone will get hurt and he doesn't want you to go through any of that trouble. He thinks he's protecting you. He thinks if anyone found out about your…abilities they'd take you away and I think that scares him." Her brother's expression sobered as he glanced down at the ground, a guilty expression starting to cross his face. "Besides you know Dad's the most stubborn person in the world."

The Kent siblings both chuckled at that, the seriousness of their conversation fading a bit. "You've got that right."

"Look, just don't get too discouraged when Dad says no but don't give up either. Sometimes it just takes him a while to warm up to certain ideas. I mean remember how long it took me to convince him to let me go stay with Hannah and her older sister in Metropolis for a month last summer. I had to beg from February to June. Besides, you've got four years of high school to win him over."

"I guess you're right," he conceded with a small look of defeat.

"Of course I'm right. I'm your big sister; I'm always right."

SMALLVILLE

"Okay, so I'm thinking we get a large pizza from Little Caesar's, some grape pop, and a couple trashy romantic comedies and go back to my house, claiming to do 'homework'." Hannah suggested all this in one large breath as she leaned against her car after school that day. "Either one with Heath Ledger or Patrick Swayze. Both are equally delightful to look at."

Jessica let out a small chuckle from where she sat on the hood, glancing around at her classmates as they made their way to their cars. "I dunno. My mom's got her class tonight and I might be needed to play referee between Clark and my dad. Besides, I have chores."

"Ugh, chores." There was a strong hint of disgust in her voice. "Fine, go home, be lame, do your chores. You want a ride or you hoofin' it?"

"I think I'll walk with Clark. He seems to have retreated back into pout face since I last saw him. This whole football thing is really getting to him."

"Oh he's just going through the angsty teenager phase of life. He'll get over it sooner or later."

"Dear God, let it be sooner," Jessica grumbled, sliding off the hood of her friend's car and giving a small wave as she went off to find her brother. She spotted Clark walking out the front doors with Pete Ross, that sullen expression back on his face. Jogging over to join them, she playfully jumped on Clark's back, arms latching on to his shoulders as she had a hundred times before. He barely seemed to notice the additional weight on his back as he held his sister up off the ground. "Hey there Mr. Grumpy Gills. Hey Petey."

"Hey Jess," Pete said with an easy smile, just like always. Today it was a little more excited than usual. "So d'you hear I made the football team?"

"No way! Congrats, Petey boy." She flashed him a bright smile, adjusting a bit at the feeling of Clark's book bag in her stomach. "Maybe now I'll actually come to one of the games."

"Yeah right," Clark laughed disbelievingly, holding onto his sister's legs. "You're the only person in Smallville who hates football."

"No. I don't hate football. I just don't find boys chasing a ball up and down a field in super tight pants like that entertaining. I mean, there is nothing appealing about tight pants. That's one reason I'm glad you aren't on the team, baby brother. I do NOT need to see you in tight pants."

"But you'll come see me play, right?" Pete asked, still smiling.

"Of course. As soon as you get off the bench, I'll come see a game."

"Great. I'll catch you guys later." He gave the Kent siblings one last smile before jogging over to his bus.

"So is there a particular reason you're on my back?" Clark asked her as they left the school parking lot, heading for home.

"Oh I just figured you could carry me all the way home. I mean you're super strong and all that."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah." At that, Clark let go of Jessica's legs and leaned back, causing her to let out a squeal as she fell from his back just barely landing on her feet. She playfully punched him in the arm as they walked. "Hey! That wasn't nice, mister."

Clark just laughed. For the next fifteen minutes or so they walked leisurely along the side of the road, chatting about easy subjects and avoiding any mention of football. Jessica knew that it would normally take her brother about three minutes to get home when he was by himself but he didn't seem to mind the slow pace. They stopped when they reached Loeb Bridge like they'd done every other time they crossed the bridge. Ever since they were little, they'd stop and lean over the bridge looking into the water below. Jessica had always liked to lean over as far as possible, sometimes a little too far. When she was fourteen, she'd almost fallen in, she'd leaned over so far. Luckily for her, her super strong eleven-year-old brother had been there to keep her from falling into the water below. Today, she leaned over just like she had a million times before, her hands tightly holding the rail. Clark was on the other side of the bridge, leaning casually against the rail as he gazed seriously into the water below. She decided to let him have his moment of pouting, leaving him be. After a few minutes, she let go of the rail and started crossing the bridge. She paused when she reached the other side, glancing back at her brother. "Come on, Clark. We can only dawdle so long."

She barely registered what happened after she shouted across the road to Clark. A red flat bed truck drove past her, the breeze blowing her red curls across her face. Her nose scrunched at the feeling of her own hair tickling her, brushing it back out of her eyes. The next thing she knew something was flying off the back of the truck and the sound of squealing tires filled the air. Her eyes widened and for a second she felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her as she saw a silver car slam into her brother, crashing through the railing and down into the water.

"CLARK!"

Terror seeped into every inch of her as she ran back to the railing, looking down into the water. She could see where the car had gone in but there was no sign of Clark or the driver of the car. It felt as if her heart was a jackhammer in her chest, tears starting to fill her wide eyes. Her body froze as she prayed her brother would pop out of the water, perfectly fine like he was every other time she worried about him. She waited and waited and waited for what seemed like forever and then he did just that. A sob escaped her mouth as she saw him break through the water and take a large gasp of air as he swam to the riverbank, holding onto the unconscious driver of the car. She ran down the side of the bridge, stumbling over a few rocks as she made her way down to where her brother was. Her arms were thrown around him, the tears now falling freely down her cheeks. "Oh my God. Oh my God."

"Jess, I'm fine. I'm fine. But he's not breathing."

Jessica let go of her brother, looking down at the bald headed man lying on the bank. His face was an unhealthy pale color and there was a small cut on his cheek. His eyes were closed and his body was completely still. Gathering up all the knowledge she'd gained the last summer from her lifeguarding job, she started on chest compressions before leaning down and breathing into his mouth. A few curls fell forward into her eyes as she continued, desperately trying to get some air into the unconscious man's lungs. Finally, he responded, coughing up the water that had made its way in. A sigh of relief escaped her and she sat back a bit, giving him the space to breathe some fresh air. His eyes glanced between her and Clark as he breathed heavily. A confused expression spread across his face as he looked at Clark. "I could've sworn I hit you."

Clark glanced nervously at his older sister before responding, "If you did, I'd be- I'd be dead."

"Clark, go to the Mackenzie's and see if you can use their phone." The dark haired boy jumped up and ran up the hill to the road. The man sat up a bit, breathing still labored as he looked at her curiously. The faintest bit of blood was trickling down his cheek and she found herself searching her backpack for something to stop the bleeding with. She pulled out the t-shirt she'd meant to put in her locker for gym class and pressed it to his cheek. "You've got a cut," she explained, checking the cut. "You're lucky that's all the damage you've got."

"I suppose so," he said, pushing himself up into the sitting position. She pulled the shirt back, checking the bleeding and letting her hands rest in her lap when she saw that it had stopped. His blue-grey eyes met hers and she found herself blushing a bit for some reason. "Thank you."

Jessica hadn't been expecting a "thank you" from the handsome man that her brother had pulled from the river, at least not one for her. She pushed her hair back and looked down at her lap. "Clark was the one who pulled you out. I was just the one having a slight panic attack up on the bridge."

"Well, it wasn't your boyfriend's face that I saw when I started coughing up river water," he commented.

Her nose wrinkled as a look of distaste spread across her face. "Clark's not my boyfriend; he's my younger brother."

The faintest hint of red could be seen on his ears as he said, "Oh, I just assumed- you two look nothing alike."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she replied before extending her hand to him. "I'm Jessica Kent."

He took her hand in his own as he introduced himself as well. "Lex Luthor."

She instantly recognized the name; you'd have to have been living in a cage not to have heard of Lex Luthor, son of billionaire and CEO of everything incorporated Lionel Luthor. She'd been raised hearing her father grumble under his breath every time that Lionel Luthor's name was on the news or in the papers. He'd done some bad deals with friends of her parents and Jonathan had had less than fuzzy feelings for that family since. She had to say, she didn't seem to see anything wrong with the Luthor sitting next to her. Except for that cut on his cheek. "Well, I'd say it's nice to meet you but considering the circumstances of the situation, it could be better."

He laughed lightly at her comment, though it quickly changed to a cough as he turned his head away. Just then Clark came back down the hill, slowing as he reached the pair. He looked down at his older sister saying, "The sheriff and EMTs are on their way. Sheriff Ethan said he'd call Dad." The teenager turned to the man he'd saved, asking, "How're you feeling?"

"A little dizzy and damp but I'm alive," Lex answered with a slight smile.

A few minutes passed and then they heard the sound of approaching sirens. Soon, Sheriff Ethan was interrogating the Kent siblings while EMTs checked over Lex. They had both Clark and Lex wrap up in blankets, trying to help the pair dry off. Clark set himself down on a rock with Jessica perched next to him, ruffling his wet hair a bit. While they watched the police pull the sports car from the water, a familiar old truck pulled up and next thing they knew Jonathan was running down the hill to his kids. "Clark! Jess! Are you two alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Clark answered, both of them standing up as he pulled them each into a hug.

"Who's the maniac that was driving that car?" Jonathan called out to one of the officers, looking angrier than either teen had ever seen him.

"That would be me," Lex answered, stepping forward with a calm expression on his face. His hand extended to the Kent patriarch as he introduced himself. "Lex Luthor."

The hand was completely ignored by Jonathan and Jessica almost wanted to smack her dad for being so blatantly rude, hoping he didn't offend the man too much. She liked that her father's reputation was generally good in the eyes of most people he met and didn't need some old grudge against the other Luthor causing problems. "I'm Jonathan Kent. These are my children." He shed his jacket, wrapping it around his son. Jessica nudged her father but he didn't seem to notice.

Lex lowered his own hand, masking any awkwardness between the men. He turned to Clark with a slight smile as he said, "Thanks for saving my life."

Clark simply shrugged his shoulders with that usual "farm boy charm" as Hannah called it and replied, "I'm sure you would have done the same thing."

Jonathan took Clark by the arm and started to walk them both back up to the truck when Lex called out, "You have quite an extraordinary boy there, Mr. Kent. If there is any way I can repay you-"

"Drive slower," was all that Jonathan said to the man before making the way up the hill to the truck, opening the door for both Jessica and Clark to slide in, the door slamming behind them. He settled behind the wheel and started the engine. "Way to be rude, Dad," she mumbled as the drove away from Loeb Bridge.

SMALLVILLE

When the Kent clan had arrived back at the farm, Martha had pulled both of her children into tight hugs, gushing over how happy she was they were both okay and something about how when Sheriff Ethan had called and then she trailed off, pulling them back into the tight embrace. After a bit of overprotective fawning on their mother's half, Clark retreated out to the loft, saying something about how he was going to work on homework. Jessica sensed that he'd either being going up there to get lost in his thoughts or look across the field at a certain neighbor of theirs. The elder Kent child made herself useful and helped her mom in the kitchen, her mind turning over everything that had happened that day. She'd nearly had a heart attack when she saw that car crash through the bridge and her brother. Clark had done some amazing things over the years but to survive getting hit by a sports car? That was almost more than she could wrap her head around. She knew her brother wasn't like most people. She'd known that since she was ten years old and stumbled across the secret hidden in their storm cellar. After running to her father rambling about what she'd found, Jonathan and Martha had sat her down and explained exactly what had happened when they'd found Clark the day of the meteor shower. She'd been completely flabbergasted over the information at first but listened to her parents when they said they didn't want to Clark to know until he was old enough to handle it. She was starting to think that that time might be coming soon.

"Mom?" Martha stopped in the midst of her cooking to look over at her daughter curiously. "I think it might be time for you and Dad to explain some stuff to Clark. Like where he's really from and all that."

Her mother seemed to contemplate what her daughter had just said to her, turning the facts over in her mind. "I've been thinking the same thing, sweetie."

"It's just after what happened today, he's going to be curious if he isn't already. He deserves to know the truth. It might help him deal with stuff better. And then at least he'll know why he can do all this crazy stuff."

Martha smiled at the teenager before pulling her into a hug and asking, "When did you get so wise?"

"Somewhere between my stint on the cheer squad and third period Calculus," Jessica answered with a light chuckle.

The backdoor swung open, interrupting the charming family moment, as Hannah came bursting into the room. Her eyes were wide and there was an excited grin on the blonde's face. She grabbed the redhead by the arms as she asked, "Please tell that it's true you and your brother saved the extremely handsome billionaire from drowning on the way home today?" Almost as an afterthought, she glanced over at her best friend's mom and quickly greeted, "Hey, Mrs. Kent."

"Hi, Hannah. Would you like to join us for dinner?"

"Thanks, but I'm just here to interrogate your daughter before I have to get back home," Hannah replied before turning back to her friend. "Now tell me - is it true? Did you save a billionaire? Please tell me it's true because that would mean this day just got ten times more interesting."

"It depends on how you define saving but yeah, I suppose so." Hannah squealed at this news, practically bouncing with the excitement of her friend's revelation. "Calm down. It's not like I did that much. Clark was the one who pulled him out of the river, not me."

"Yeah, but Clark has a Y chromosome and can't divulge all the details about the incredibly sexy playboy who is now gracing our Podunk town with his presence. Now, please divulge away." Jessica glanced nervously over at where her mom was peeling potatoes, not wanting to have this conversation in front of the woman who'd given birth to her. Hannah, however, simply rolled her eyes at her friend's reluctance. "Oh, come on, you big prude. Let's leave the room since you clearly can't say anything in front of your mother without turning into a nun. Be right back, Mrs. Kent."

"You girls take your time," Martha called out with a smile as she watched the girls disappear upstairs to Jessica's room.

Once they were in her bedroom, both comfortably seated on her bed, Hannah started pestering again. "Okay, now tell me everything." Jessica found herself spending the next twenty minutes giving her best friend every detail about the excitement of the afternoon, from walking across Loeb Bridge to giving Lex Luthor CPR to her father practically giving the billionaire a verbal slap in the face. She casually left out the details of Clark being hit by the car rather than jumping in after it. She was proud to admit that for probably the first time in all the years that she'd known Hannah, she'd finally managed to render the girl speechless, at least for a few minutes. Then, it passed and a grin broke across her face as she asked, "Why is it you Kents have all the fun?"

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><p>If you add this to your favorites, review. If you set an alert for it, review. If you read this, review.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Ok. So here's the chapter of this little project of mine. To everyone who reviewed, I thank you. To everyone who didn't, no cookies for you. I also forgot to mention that there are spoilers for the first season of Smallville. If you haven't seen the first season then you probably have no reason to be reading this. You should go watch it along with the other nine seasons before you read any Smallville fanfiction.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Jessica, Hannah, and the little plot bunnies bouncing around.

Enjoy the chapter. :)

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><p>The next day went by much more peacefully to both of the Kent siblings' relief. A few people congratulated Clark for being the hero and a few girls asked Jessica what it had been like to meet Lex Luthor. Other than that, life had gone on just like any other day. Jessica was glad for that. The last thing she wanted was extra attention when she was trying to survive Calculus and not fall asleep in English IV. Besides, her interrogation with Hannah the afternoon before had been more than enough questions about Lex Luthor considering that she barely knew anything about the man. She'd only spent about twenty minutes around him and the majority of that time had either been silent while EMTs made sure he was all right or filled with painfully dull small talk. She spent most of the day with her head down and spent most of her classes doodling in her notebooks. That afternoon her and Clark got a ride home from Hannah, who insisted that she drive them in case any more billionaires were in need of being rescued. When they arrived at the farm there was a particularly large surprise waiting for them in the drive. Both of them looked at the shiny new truck sitting in front of their house before quickly going over to question their mother. "Hey, Mom!" Clark called out. "Whose truck?"<p>

"Yours," Martha replied dryly, handing the teenage boy a card with the initials L.L. on the cover of it. There was no warm smile greeting the teens today and Jessica didn't feel to good about that. "It's a gift from Lex Luthor."

Jessica cringed ever so slightly. Two encounters with a Luthor in just over twenty-four hours; their father couldn't be too happy with this. Clark, however, hadn't seemed to connect the possibilities of what would be going through their parents' minds right now. Instead, he read from the card, "_Dear Clark, Drive Safely. Always in your debt. The maniac in the Porsche_." He looked almost star struck as he looked up from the card. "I don't believe it. Where are the keys?"

"Your father has them."

She audibly winced this time and patted her brother's shoulder. "Good luck getting those back." The Kent women watched as Clark walked towards the barn to go and confront Jonathan over the gift sitting in the driveway, both knowing that it most likely wouldn't end well. They both waited patiently, listening as the sounds of raised voices came from inside the barn as the Kent men both began to lose their patience. Whenever Clark and Jonathan argued over things, whether it was over football or cars or whatever, the women did their best to keep from picking sides in the arguments. They were the voices of reason when the tempers got too hot and things got carried away. Jessica caught bits and pieces of the argument between her father and brother. When the sound of the chipper starting and Jonathan shouting came out of the barn, Jessica ran over to see what was happening. She watched, eyes wide, as her brother's arm was pulled out of the chipper shredder, fully intact save for torn pieces of what used to be his sleeve. Her father mirrored her expression as Clark announced what had really happened in the accident, how he'd been hit by the sports car rather than simply diving in after it. The next thing she knew, he was storming up the stairs to the loft. Jonathan looked over at his daughter and she told him, "You need to explain things to him. He deserves to know the truth."

Jonathan smiled weakly at his daughter, asking, "When did you get so smart?"

An easy smile rested on her lips as she responded, "Why does everyone keep asking me that? We all know that despite Clark's 4.0, I've always been the brains of the family."

"Well, while I go talk to your brother, you do me a favor and return the truck to the Luthor mansion."

Jessica grabbed the keys, simply replying, "Gladly," before dashing over to the shiny, new truck.

SMALLVILLE

When Jessica pulled up in front of the Luthor Mansion, she had to admit she was in a bit of awe at the sight of it. She remembered when it was first being brought to Smallville and she'd seen it from a distance plenty of times before but it was a completely different story seeing it up close. It was something that normally couldn't be found outside of Europe, let alone in the middle of America. She had to admit; she'd always thought it was a nice addition to the town. Something that made Smallville a little more special and didn't involve meteors. It was hard to come by something that unique about the town that didn't remind her of that day. She talked to the security guard when she pulled up to the front gate and parked the large truck by the side entrance before letting herself in. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior she decided as she made her way through the castle. It was definitely big enough to probably house about half of the town. She called out through the halls, "Hello?" Faint noises could be heard coming from down a corridor and she followed them. Sticking her head through the doorway, she saw two people sword fencing rather vigorously. It was a foreign sight to her, something she'd only seen in the movies. The fight seemed to be ending as she entered the room and resisted the urge to scream ever so slightly as a sword was suddenly embedded in the section of wall next to her head. The thrower removed his mask and turned out to be the billionaire who wasn't nearly as soggy as the last time she'd seen him.

"Jessica?" His surprised expression met her mildly terrified one, a hand running over his scalp. His partner pulled her own mask off and instantly made the farm girl feel a few shades insecure in her jeans and an old Metropolis Sharks t-shirt. She found herself shifting around and trying to appear small. "I didn't see you there."

"The guards let me in. I figured they told you." She nervously stepped away from the sword as she watched Lex yank it from the wall. "Look, if this is a bad time-"

"No, I think Heike has sufficiently kicked my ass for the day." She watched as he tossed his mask to the woman before motioning for her to follow him.

"This is a great place," Jessica commented as she followed him through the house. It was probably best for her to stay close to him. She'd most likely end up getting lost if she tried to wander around the mansion by herself.

"Yeah, if you're dead and in the market for something to haunt," Lex quipped with the faintest smile.

"Just meant it was roomy. I'll make a note for your future use of sarcasm," she shot back with the slightest roll of her eyes. This earned her a real smile, or at least what seemed like a real smile. It was hard to tell considering the time span that she'd known the man.

"It's the Luthor ancestral home, or so my father claims. He had it shipped over from Scotland stone by stone," Lex informed her as they entered a room that looked like a cross between an office, a library, and a billiards room. She had to admit, she was in awe of the place. The ceilings were high, the architecture was amazing, and there were stained glass windows, which she had to admit, were her favorite. Something about stained glass always made her feel like she was somewhere special. She watched him walk over to a small cart and draping the white fencing jacket over it before grabbing a bottle of water. Her hands slid into the pocket of her jeans as she realized that she could probably fit about half of her house in this room alone.

"I remember when the trucks rolled through town. Me and my best friend started placing bets on how many it would take to bring the whole thing in. She won and it ended up costing me three boxes of malt balls and a week of letting her have first dibs on the swing my dad had put up in our barn."

The taller man gave her a look that she couldn't quite figure out before asking, "So how's your brother enjoying the new car?"

"Actually, that's why I'm here. It's a great gesture but Clark can't keep it."

'What? Does he not like it?"

"No, no. God, no. If he had it his way, he'd be driving it all over town, showing off. But our dad…" She trailed off, not sure how to explain the reasons why her father disliked the Luthor family and the man in front of her so much.

"Your father doesn't like me much, does he?" Lex asked, not surprised at all at the notion.

She paused, trying to figure the best way to phrase her father's opinions. "It's not so much you he doesn't like as it is your father."

"Figures the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?" She simply shrugged in response. "It's understandable. My father's reputation tends to precede him in most circles. Even in Smallville, it appears. I have to say I feel like a car was the least I could give your brother for what he did."

"Well, you clearly don't know my dad. Although, I'm pretty sure he would've said that the card you sent would've been too much but still. Besides, it's not like Clark goes around, pulling billionaires out of rivers in hopes of handouts."

"I wasn't trying to imply that. I simply believe in rewards where they're due. Your brother saved my life. So did you in fact."

"Oh, please don't try and give me a car. I don't think I could handle my dad telling me I had to give it back." She feigned pain and earned a playful smile from the businessman in the room.

"Not quite." He made his way over to the desk and grabbed a small box, walking back over to hand it to her. Hesitantly, Jessica took it from him and opened it. Inside, much to her surprise, was a golden locket with a pair of folded wings on the front. She fingered the cover before pulling it from the box for further inspection. After she turned it over in her hands a few times, Lex took it from her and moved to stand behind her. He draped the necklace in front of her chest, fastening the clasp behind her neck. His fingers gently pulled her hair out from under the chain before letting it go to fall down her back once more. She felt as if electricity was flowing through her veins as he stepped back in front of her. "I got it from a jeweler I know in London. She specializes in more…unique pieces. You like it?"

"Lex, I can't-"

"Don't say you can't accept it. It's a necklace, not a BMW or a bar of gold. Besides, if you feel like not telling your father, I'm sure it's much easier to hide a necklace than it is a truck."

She noticed what looked like a hint of mischief in his eyes and she couldn't help but smile. She figured it would be futile to try and return the gift, instead choosing to hold the locket gently in her hand. "What made you choose it? Why the wings?"

Lex looked at her for a minute, leaning back against the desk before asking, "Do you think a man can fly?"

"Sure, in a plane with about a hundred other people paying for coach."

"That's not what I meant, Jessica." His gaze left her as if he were lost in his own thoughts and she just happened to be getting a preview of them. "After the accident, when my heart stopped, I flew. For a whole two minutes, I flew and it was the most exhilarating moment of my life. I flew over Smallville and, for the first time, I didn't see a dead end. I saw a new beginning." His gaze settled back on her with a slight smile. "Thanks to Clark and you I have a second chance."

"Really, Lex. It was nothing." Jessica looked down awkwardly, feeling her cheeks flush a bit.

"You're wrong. It was the start of a new future for me. And, I'm hoping, some new friendships, especially for you and I."

SMALLVILLE

Saturday night, the loft of the Kent's barn was filled with the soft sound of a piano being played. At least, as close to a piano as Jessica could get. While the loft was generally Clark's space to escape the world, his big sister tended to borrow it when he was out. She wasn't sure where Clark was but she assumed at the Homecoming dance like the majority of their classmates. She, personally, had opted out of participating in the evening's festivities due to the pain she still felt in her feet from the last time Hannah had made her wear heels for a dance. It was safe to say she wasn't fond of them. Instead, she'd finished up her chores before retreating up to the loft with her keyboard and a book of sheet music she'd gotten from the library. She was determined to master the Billy Joel classic _Piano Man_ before her dad's birthday. She'd been going at it for almost an hour when Clark finally showed up in the barn, not looking any better than he had earlier that week. She knew that their dad had finally told him everything, about the spaceship and where he really came from. Or at least what they knew about where he came from. She'd given him his space since then, not wanting to force his feelings out of him before he had a chance to think things over. He spotted her at her keyboard and simply flopped down on their old couch. She moved away from her keyboard, mimicking her brother's movement as she took the spot next to him. "So, d'you skip the dance? Because if you didn't, you're seriously underdressed, even for a farm boy."

"I was a bit preoccupied," Clark answered, sinking back against the old cushions. She watched him for a minute, waiting for a bit more than that to work with.

"Okay, Mr. Cryptic," she remarked after a bit. "What were you up to then?"

"It's a long story." His tone told her that for now that was the end of the conversation and, knowing her brother's track record, she let it be. Instead, she leaned against him and the pair simply sat in silence. Then, Clark asked, "When did Mom and Dad tell you that I wasn't - well, wasn't human?"

Jessica hesitated for the briefest moment before telling him, "I was ten. Dad had taken you to a baseball game and Mom was busy in the kitchen, making pies to sell at the fair. I kept pestering her because I was bored and eventually she told me to just go outside and play for a while. I went all over the farm, just goofing off and messing with stuff I was normally told to stay away from. Eventually, I ended up out at the storm cellar and that was when I found it. I went down there and saw the spaceship sitting there and I just, I freaked out. I went running back to the house, rambling on and on and on about the fact that aliens were real and that they were gonna take over the farm." She paused in her story to laugh at her childhood actions. "If anyone else had heard me, they would've either thought I had the most active imagination a child could have or that I was completely crazy. But Mom, she panicked for a whole three seconds before sitting me down and explaining everything to me in that way Mom always manages to make things make sense. She told me that her and dad hadn't told you yet and that I wasn't allowed to say anything to anyone about this ever. Not even Hannah. That was the hardest part at first. I was ten years old. I hadn't really learned how to filter what secrets I told my best friend. But I still promised and then Mom handed me a cookie and told me to go back and play in the loft. And when you and Dad got back that night I just pretended like nothing had changed. And really, nothing had. You were still my brother. You were still little Clark, the biggest pest in the world and the best person to have around if you ever wanted to sneak into the cookie jar before dinner. Not that we ever got away with it."

Both Kent siblings laughed. That was true. On several occasions in their youth, they'd tried to sneak cookies before dinner and somehow Martha had always managed to catch them in the act. For a while, they really believed her when she said she had eyes in the back of her head. Clark sobered a bit as he asked, "Did you ever, you know, wish you didn't have to hide all this from everyone? You know, pretend you have a normal brother?"

"Clark, even if you weren't an alien or whatever, you wouldn't be normal. Because normal guys don't care as much about their families or their friends or working on a farm. Alien or not, you're better than normal. Besides, if you were normal, who would I have to clean the house in record time five minutes before Mom and Dad get home."

"So, you're okay with having a freak for a brother?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," she told him, smiling brightly as she hugged him and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. He wiped at his cheek with mock annoyance and swatted her away. "Oh you love me and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Clark playfully grumbled, as he got up, moving over to his telescope. She took that as a cue for her to give him some space. She climbed off the couch as well and picked up keyboard, balancing the sheet music on top of it. She gave Clark one last smile and started to head out of the loft as he asked, "Hey, where'd you get the necklace?"

Jessica glanced down at the locket resting on her chest that she'd gotten earlier that week. She'd worn it everyday since Lex had given it to her and it was growing on her. "It was a gift. From a…from a friend."

Clark gave her a slightly quizzical look but simply said, "It's cool looking."

"It is," she softly agreed before disappearing out of the barn, leaving the alien boy to his infinite stars.

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><p>Review. It's good for the soul.<p> 


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